Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Oregon National Primate Research Center’s Isabel McDonald Library has been awarded a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Oregon State Library. The grant supports digitization of a selection of rare books on primatology from the McDonald Library’s collection. Staff of the Isabel McDonald Library will collaborate with OHSU Library staff to complete this project. Grant funding will begin in February 2012, with the project to be completed in a 12-month period.

We in Historical Collections & Archives are very proud to support the McDonald Library’s in this project, and are looking forward to participating in this collaborative effort.

Monday, November 14, 2011

We just received a transcript of an interview with Isabel G. McDonald, conducted for the Medical Library Association's Oral History Project. Active since 1977, this program supports the study of health sciences librarianship, and the history of the MLA.

Isabel G. McDonald was Librarian at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center from 1961-1990. She was instrumental in growing the library's collection of books on primatology, including the development of a unique rare books collection. She also introduced online searching and interlibrary loan networking to the institution. On her retirement, the library was renamed the Isabel McDonald Library.

The transcript will be cataloged for the PNW Collection and available for research in HC&A. A separate interview with Isabel McDonald was conducted for the OHSU Oral History Program in 1997. The transcript and recording are both available at the Main Library.